"Ugliness and Beauty" from The Songs of Béranger 1829

Tony Johannot's 1829 lithograph, "Ugliness and Beauty," features a central scene of a couple in an interior, likely depicting a moment from the "Songs of Béranger." The vignette is surrounded by an elaborate frame of foliage and symbolic objects, including an eagle, a cherub, and a lyre. Johannot, a prominent French artist known for his illustrative work, captures a sense of intimacy and narrative through his detailed rendering of the scene. The use of chiaroscuro adds depth and drama to the composition, highlighting the interplay of light and shadow, characteristic of Romantic art. The artwork, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into 19th-century French illustration and provides a visual interpretation of the literary works of Pierre-Jean de Béranger.